Sweet Sacrifice
by Gothic984
Summary: Lucas guards Gail in the hospital while she recovers from her ordeal, and attempts to entertain himself in his new surroundings.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Get It Together.

It was a cold still morning in Trinity South Carolina, remnants of the nights darkness still engulfed the Town at this early hour and the majority of the townspeople were wrapped up cosy in their beds, not yet ready to awake and start a new day.

Lucas Buck stood silently on the riverbank at a secluded section of the Trinity River, watching the waves flow by calmly. The cold wind was sharp this close to the River and a normal person would not have been caught here at this early our; however, Lucas was not normal and he was unfazed by the cold wind that was swirling all around him. He just continued to stare deep into the water and wondered why he had been called here.

A dark figure had appeared on the opposite riverbank a few moments earlier and he examined it curiously. He was experiencing a strong sense of deja vu and was brought back to a time when he had envisioned his little girl standing in that very same spot, prior to being aware of her existence; however, the figure that was stood directly opposite him now was certainly not her and he watched it carefully, attempting to establish what it wanted and whether he needed to insert his dominance.

The figure was blocking his attempts to read it's mind and he could have sworn that it was smiling, as though amused by him somehow. Lucas did not like that, he was used to being the alpha in all situations and it appeared that this figure, whatever it was, believed it had the upper hand. Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head, before taking a step closer to the River. This was his Town and he would not allow anything to disturb the order of things, let alone show this kind of disregard for his authority.

Suddenly a loud scream pierced through his brain and he was jolted awake abruptly. Lucas shielded his eyes from the harsh light of the overly bright hospital room and felt an intrusive presence boring into him. He turned towards his wife who he had been guarding while she slept, and smiled at her affectionately when their eyes met.

'Bad dreams?' Gail asked quietly as she lay on her side watching her husband carefully, after being awoken by his tossing and turning a few moments earlier.

Lucas sat upright in the uncomfortable chair he was occupying beside her bed and stretched his arms high in the air, ignoring the aches he had started to experience due to his age. He had not intended to fall asleep while he was on guard and he shifted slightly under her knowing gaze, not liking her curiosity focused on him. 'Dreams are dreams Love, it's always been you who allowed yourself to be haunted by them' he said calmly, then took her hand in his and brought it to his lips tenderly.

Lucas' sleep had been plagued with dark dreams since his Daughter had been born and although the dreams were disconcerting, they were just like pictures on a screen and they were not his real concern. He had not returned to his domain since Gail had given birth, as he had decided to stay here with her to ensure that she was well protected. Lucas did not play well out of his own comfortable surroundings and he had begun to feel somewhat out of sorts.

Gail watched as her Soulmate kissed her hand softly, in an attempt to distract her from whatever was really bothering him. She was blind to the slight changes in him and let out a frustrated breath when he leaned in closer to her, then placed a loving kiss on her forehead. She did not like his comment about how dreams affected her, it was unlike him to turn a genuine question so harshly on her and the thought of him having to deal with what had happened during their Daughters birth while she was lay up in hospital caused her.

Gail tried to open herself up mentally to form a connection with him and smiled when she felt them merge together; however, her connection with him was broken when a sharp bolt of pain surged through her mind, and a loud scream travelled through her brain.

Lucas had allowed Gail to join with him, sensing her concern and always enjoying the connection they shared. He let out a sharp breath when he also felt the loud scream travel through his mind abruptly, then squeezed Gail's hand gently and stood up slowly. 'I appears our little Cherub is demandin' like her Mother' he smiled sarcastically, proud of their little girls ability to make herself heard from her ward further down the hall.

'I guess we're going to have our hands full with this one' Gail smiled wearily, then drifted back off to sleep when Lucas left the room to see to their Daughter.

* * *

Matt sat at the small table in the Kitchen, staring at his breakfast blankly. It had been over a week since Gail had given birth and he had not felt himself since that day. Whenever he thought back to the events that transpired, he experienced a haziness which resembled his old drinking days when he use to drink so much that he blacked out and it was concerning him.

Matt vaguely recalled being dragged out of the room when Gail was in labour, then he had been banned from delivering the baby. Matt was used to Gail not wanting him to see certain parts of her body while he was examining her; however, this was different, the baby was seven weeks premature and he would not have allowed her to send him away under normal circumstances. Gail saw him as the most competent Doctor in Trinity, he was confident that she would have put aside her desire to remain covered when it came to the safety of delivering her baby and her decision to send him away was uncharacteristic.

Merlyn watched Matt closely as he pushed his food around his plate slowly and tried desperately to read him. He had closed himself off to her since the incident with Gail in the hospital, she was starting to get worried that he was becoming lost and she did not know what to do to help him.

Matt sensed the eyes on him and shovelled some scrambled egg into his mouth, in an attempt to appear normal. He knew M was concerned about him, he was concerned about himself; however, he did not understand enough about what had transpired to be able to talk to her about it.

'What are your plans for the day?' Merlyn asked casually, attempting to engage him in conversation.

Matt forced a smile and shrugged. 'Work then home I guess, the usual...you?' he asked instinctively, staring down at his plate blankly again.

'I'll be headin' down to the shelter-' she started.

'The usual then?' Matt interrupted uninterested.

Merlyn felt a sorrow engulf her and had to take a deep breath to calm herself. She was not used to the man she loved pulling away from her and his behaviour of late had started to make her feel alone. 'Yes the usual' she said finally, finding her voice. 'I'll probably pop in to check on Gail and the bab-'

'Gail?' Matt interrupted sharply and turned his full attention to M. 'How is she?'

Merlyn stared at Matt angrily for a moment, then got up from the table and put her plate in the sink. Lucas had informed her of what had happened with Matt during Gail's labour and he had threatened all kinds of bad things if Matt tried to see her. Gail had not asked for him, or even questioned how he was doing about being taken over by Malcolm; therefore, his sudden animation at the mention of her name hurt more than Merlyn could have described and she felt a sudden resentment for her Cousin.

'M?' Matt asked expectantly, when she did not answer his question. Something had stopped him from visiting Gail and he had even been avoiding going past her room, so not to run into her unexpectedly; however, he was desperate to know how his best friend was doing and he did not understand M's silence.

Merlyn sensed his anxiety rising the longer she remained silent and let out an exasperated sigh. 'She's fine, the baby's fine. It appears everyone's fine!' she snapped harshly, then stormed out of the Kitchen and slammed the door on her way out.

* * *

Caleb sat moodily at the large Dining Room table in the Boarding House, staring at the lodgers as they happily ate their breakfast. Caleb liked Miss Holt and her Boarding House, it had seemed like the closest thing that he was going to get to a home at one point in his life; however, that was after his true family came together and he now knew that he did not belong here, especially with the company he was surrounded by.

Selena smiled seductively at the men around the table, sensing their desire for her. She had decided that she was a one man woman now; however, her current unexpected residence at the Boarding House meant she was in the presence of some people who clearly wanted her, and she could not help but revel in their desire.

Caleb's eyes fell on his Teacher and he stared at her disapprovingly, he was confused as to why she was here when his Step Mom had previously expressed dislike for her and he was not willing to accept her authority.

Selena spotted Caleb's defiant look and smiled at him warmly. 'When you're finished with your breakfast you can hop in with me and I'll take you to School, you won't know yourself getting to ride in my fast car' she said pleasantly.

'I get to ride in Gail's Mustang all day long and I've drove my Daddy's car...I ain't gettin' in your stupid car' Caleb said bluntly, then started cutting his bacon.

'Hey!' Billy snapped disapprovingly when he entered the Dining Room and caught Caleb's comment. He had offered to look after the boy while Lucas watched over Gail and their newborn Daughter; therefore, he did not appreciate Caleb's attitude of late, when he was doing his friends a favour.

'It's alright' Selena advised calmly, not rising to Caleb's comment. 'The boy misses his family and is entitled to be a little off, seen as they've left him here while they take care of their real children' she smiled cattily, unable to stop herself from poking the bear.

'They didn't leave me-' Caleb started.

'Oh but they did and they didn't even bother giving you to Abe, like they did Luke. I know it must be hard for you honey, but your Step Mom and Dad need to put their kids first. I'm sure you understand that after all they've done for you' Selena said sweetly, knowing no one else in the room knew Lucas was Caleb's biological Father apart from Billy.

Billy saw the look of hurt on Caleb's face and squeezed Selena's shoulder to indicate she needed to stop, then made his way to Caleb. The boy looked like he had been struck across the face and he suddenly felt bad that he had been split up from his family. 'They knew Miss Holt took great care of you before, it makes sense that you're here while Gail and the baby recover. You understand that right Champ?' he whispered in Caleb's ear, then sat down beside him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

'I understand they don't want me around, they don't even wanna leave me with my Brother' Caleb whispered sadly, then pushed his plate away angrily and ran up to his old room.

Billy let out a long sigh and shook his head, ignoring Selena's cruel look of amusement.

* * *

Lucas held his tiny baby girl in his arms carefully and rocked her gently. It amazed him how someone so small could find a way to get his attention from a completely different ward and he began to ponder over the unease he felt from the powers he partnered with, and the dark dreams that he was having.

'She's such a little darlin', she's gonna grow up to be so beautiful' Rita said warmly, as she watched Lucas rock his Daughter affectionately.

Lucas smiled at the comment and nodded appreciatively. 'She's got a good set of genes, if she's anythin' like her Mother she'll be a force to be reckoned with' he laughed quietly, so not to disturb the baby.

'I wasn't sure we were gonna make it, I don't know how Gail does it without a Doctor to help' Rita stated, still visibly shaken when she thought back to the labour that she had been thrown into assisting.

'She know's what she's doin'. She clearly see's somethin' in you that fills her with confidence' Lucas shrugged casually, not really caring for Rita but appreciating her assistance with the birth of two of his children all the same.

Rita let out a small gasp at the comment, she was just a Nurse and she had never striven to be anything more; therefore, she believed Gail's confidence in her was misplaced.

Lucas read her mind effortlessly and knew that she felt stuck in a rut. Lucas had been stuck in this hospital for longer than he had intended and something began to stir within him when he sensed Rita's regret with how her life had turned out. 'Maybe you should re-evaluate your current predicament, try shakin' out of that merry go round and experiencin' greener pastures' he said bluntly.

Rita stared at him with wide eyes, a feeling of discomfort coming over her at the realisation that he knew what she was feeling; however, he just continued to rock the baby gently, as though he had said nothing out of the ordinary. It was as though he had peered into her soul and read her mind, she did feel trapped in a constant loop and she did not know how to get out of it.

Lucas felt a familiar excitement come over him, it was the feeling that he got when he sensed a tortured soul edging towards him and it made him smile. 'I honour my deals Rita, you've been around here long enough to know that by now. I suggest you consider what you want in life and when you get the balls to to make a stand, I'll be waitin'' Lucas advised casually, feeling a sudden urge to offer his assistance even though this woman should be off limits to his traditional way of working.

Rita nodded nervously and rushed out of the room, not able to take the pressure of being alone with such a powerful man. His words had caused a stir within her and she headed to her locker to call Ben.

Lucas disregarded Rita's sudden exit and continued to rock his Daughter gently, smiling at her when she peered up at him and continued to ponder over the dreams that were plaguing his sleep.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Gail stood at the open window clutching her arms to her chest in an attempt to keep warm, as she peered out past the hospital parking lot. She had not been discharged from the hospital yet as people were concerned about her health and the health of her premature little girl. She appreciated the concern; however, she felt like she was going stir crazy in here.

Usually Gail would protest against being ordered to stay in such a confined place, as her natural instinct was to run from any bounds; however, she was not ready to return home and reunite their family until she was sure it was safe, and she was not convinced the danger she had experienced was behind them just yet.

There had been no word of Malcolm at all, which was a positive given the circumstances. Gail's darkness had returned after she had given birth, making her feel whole again; however, there was no trace of Rosemary, Christie, or any indication of what had happened to Malcolm. Gail was also aware that she had left her Father when everything spiralled out of control, he had not dared make his presence known with her husband guarding her every move and she was concerned as to what her Father was getting up to without her there to monitor him.

Lucas was being outwardly devoted solely to his girls, he had sent their boy's away to give them space to concentrate on their Daughter and although she appreciated his undivided attention, she could not help but feel a little suspicious of him. She knew deep down that Lucas would never hurt her, he was obsessed with her; however, he served something that clearly had not wanted the successful birth of their Daughter and she was not sure how strongly he could step in should that something decide to make a move again.

'I serve myself Love, you'd do well rememberin' that' Lucas said casually reading her thoughts, as he entered the room.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head, she was still recovering from everything that had happened and she hated that she was unable to shield her thoughts from him at this moment in time.

'Never mind Darlin', at least this way I'll know if you're gettin' up to anythin' you shouldn't be' Lucas smiled smugly, as he admired how radiant she looked stood at the window.

'Oh enjoy it while you can Soulmate, I'll be back to my full self sooner than you think' Gail advised confidently, then began walking back towards her bed when she sensed he was about to scold her for not resting.

'You'll never recover if you don't follow your Doctors orders and rest' Lucas stated in a mock scolding manner, as he gently pushed her down and started tucking in the blankets around her.

'And which Doctor would that be Sweetheart? Your current best friend who's left his position vacant in the nut house to spy on me for you? Or the strange woman Doctor who has suddenly taken an interest in me when Billy isn't around?' Gail asked agitated, finding it hard to trust anyone these days and desperately wanting to see Matt.

'Your actual Doctor attempted to strangle you when you were in labour, he ain't gettin' anywhere near you or my Daughter' Lucas advised sternly, enjoying the fact that he had reason to keep Matt away.

'Our Daughter' Gail corrected him moodily, 'Besides, that was Malcolm's doing and you know it'

'Alright, so you'd be comfortable with Harvard being alone with you and our girl, knowing how easy he was to manipulate and control when you were at risk?' Lucas asked bluntly, sensing Gail's inner conflict when it came to her friend.

Gail felt her darkness stir inside her when he indicated she had been vulnerable and was uncomfortable thinking about what Matt had done. She understood that it had not actually been him wanting to hurt her; however, that did not make the images of her best friend strangling her when she was in her most vulnerable position any less disconcerting.

She knew deep down that Lucas was right no matter how much she hated to admit it and she would just have to survive without her friend for a while longer, until she figured out what to do with him. 'No' she finally answered quietly, not wanting to inflate her husbands ego any more than it already was.

'Come again? I didn't quite catch that' Lucas asked smugly, unable to hide his amusement at her realisation that he was right.

'I said no!' Gail snapped irritated, unimpressed with his attitude and crossing her arms over her chest stubbornly. 'Now will you get out of here so I can get some of that rest you keep scolding me about avoiding?'

Lucas let out a small laugh, then stroked her cheek affectionately and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He was enjoying being the only one that she could fully turn to and it was even more satisfying that she was beginning to realise that. 'This is for the best Love, it's just you and me...you don't need anyone else lookin' out for you' he advised protectively, then exited the room to allow her to rest properly.

Gail let out a long sigh as she watched him leave, then lay back in the bed and began considering her options to enable her to get out of this confined place quicker.

* * *

Lucas sat back comfortably on the chair in Matt's office and put his feet up on his desk. Harvard had been busying himself away from his usual haunts, attempting to avoid Gail and it amused Lucas to know how much the man was suffering, even if he did not realise why. His Father Malcolm had stepped out of line, what he did was unforgivable and if Lucas would have gotten his hands on him before Gail's past self had, his Father would be in a world of hurt. That said, he could not condemn Malcolm's methods and using Matt Crower as a tool to attack Gail was a genius plan. Lucas had initially been furious at the attack, he had blamed himself for a while for not sensing his Father's plan but the more he thought about it, the more he recognised what his Father had done for him.

Harvard had always been a thorn in his side, he had gotten to Gail when she first returned to Trinity before Lucas had a chance to take hold of her and it had taken months to break down her barriers. Had she not have been so consumed with the need to find out about her parents, she may have allowed herself to be taken by Matt's pureness and her own goodness may have taken over fully; however, Lucas had found a way in and nurtured her dark needs, as he was always destined to do. Now that Matt had shown himself to be so easily corrupted and had betrayed her confidence, Lucas finally had her all to himself without a chance of Harvard being able to influence her ever again.

'Why are you at his desk? Ain't it bad enough you got Rita bawlin' at me, you gotta mess with Matt too?' Ben sighed in frustration at his current position, as he watched his boss and oldest friend casually disrespect Matt Crower.

'Firstly, your Fiance and the Mother of your Daughter wantin' to make your union official ain't on me and secondly, why wouldn't I be at his desk? I'm Lucas Buck' Lucas laughed, amused at his ability to bother Ben without really trying.

Ben let out a long breath and shook his head in exasperation. He had been having a peaceful day at work until he received the telephone call from Rita and now that he had come to the hospital to check what had caused her outburst, he realised Lucas was in a mischievous mood and wished he had just stayed away.

'Oh come on Ben, when did you get so dull?' Lucas asked playfully, sensing his friends frustration and revelling in it.

'Can't I just have a peaceful life? Is that too much to ask for?' Ben sighed, then sat on Matt's desk with his back to Lucas.

'It appears that's too much for anyone in this Town' Matt said in frustration, as he entered his office and spotted Lucas lazing about on his chair.

'Hey Doc, you manage to crawl back outta that hidin' place you been occupyin'?' Lucas asked sarcastically.

Matt forced a smile for Ben, then threw his patients file on his desk and stared down at Lucas' feet disapprovingly. 'Shouldn't you be taking care of your wife and baby rather than hassling me?' he asked bluntly, unable to hide his detestation for the man before him.

'Shouldn't you be takin' care of your patient rather than runnin' away like a scared little child?' Lucas asked flatly, and remained in his lounging position.

Matt laughed and shook his head in irritation. He knew something had gone down to shift Gail's faith in him and he knew Lucas would have seised the opportunity to turn her against him; therefore, he was confused at the mans insinuation that he should be looking after her and his game only made him more agitated. 'My patient is doing well so I hear, I doubt I need to do anything to assist her recovery' he answered after a moment of calming himself.

Lucas did not want Matt near Gail, he had made that clear to his wife; however, he sensed the man's yearning to be with his friend and it was amusing to give him hope that he still may be required. 'You hear correct, she's doin' fine and so is my little girl. They both have Doctor Peel to thank for that' he smiled smugly, spotting Matt shift uncomfortably on the spot at the mention of someone else taking care of Gail.

'I didn't know Gail had allowed Billy to take over-' Matt started.

'When her actual Doctor abandoned her, she didn't have a choice but to conform to my orders' Lucas interjected, then took his feet down from Matt's desk and stood up to meet him face to face. 'You see Doc, she knows who really loves her and has her back'

Matt inhaled deeply and tried to remain calm. It hurt him to know that Gail had accepted Billy's assistance, after the man had betrayed her confidence to Lucas when she was pregnant with Luke and the thought of Lucas having full control over her sickened him.

'It looks like everyone's steppin' in line Harvard, soon you'll have no one to back you and when that inevitably happens, I'll be waitin' right here to watch you break' Lucas warned quietly and grinned devilishly at the man who once caused him so many problems.

Matt held Lucas' stare for a moment, feeling his body become tense and wanting so much to make a move; however, he was smarter than that and would not allow a few words to cause him to lose control. 'Unless you have a medical issue that you require me to look into, I suggest you get out of my office and let me get on with my job' Matt said flatly, standing tall and not allowing himself to feel intimidated.

Lucas stared deep into Matt's eyes dominantly for a moment, then let out a small laugh and patted him on the shoulder. 'You get back to what you're gettin' paid for Doc, I'm sure you can find some weak soul who requires your assistance' Lucas mocked cruelly, then headed out of the office and signalled for Ben to follow him.

* * *

Caleb roamed the quiet hospital corridors aimlessly, tuning out the strangers and their prying looks when they passed by him. He had refused to accept a ride to School from Miss Coombs, not trusting that she had any real desire to actually help him and had decided to ditch School all together today, considering his parents did not appear to care about what he was doing at this moment in time.

Caleb had considered going home to collect his bicycle and making a trip to Goat Town to see his Sister; however, after wandering the streets for an hour contemplating what he wanted to do without actually concentrating on where he was going, he realised that he had subconsciously walked to the hospital where his parents were temporarily residing.

As he strolled through the overly bright corridors, he pondered over his legs decision to bring him here. He had not intended to disobey his Fathers orders about giving them some space and understood his decision to keep Gail isolated after what had happened with Malcolm; however, his subconscious had brought him here and he realised that he wanted to be with his true family more than anything else in the world right now.

'Then what are you waiting for?' Gail asked casually, as she leaned against the open door to her room and rocked her newborn Daughter gently.

Caleb gasped at the unexpected sight of his Step Mom, then held his head low and slowly walked towards her, knowing she would not be impressed that he had skipped class.

Gail saw the timid demeanour of her Step Son and let out an amused laugh. 'What have I done to make you so scared of me?' she asked sweetly, ruffling his hair when he came into range and so happy at the sight of him she did not care that he had skipped School.

Caleb had not expected to see Gail yet, let alone to catch her in a pleasant mood and he smiled up at her as she led him into her room, then sat down on the bed beside her. 'I just thought you'd yell at me for ditchin' is all, I know you want me to learn stuff' he shrugged, turning away from her to hide his guilt of disobeying orders.

'Firstly, I never yell at you or anybody for that matter. Secondly, I'm assuming you've ditched because you're worried about us and I couldn't tell you off for that' Gail smiled warmly, then took his hand in hers and kissed it lovingly.

Caleb turned towards her and looked up into her eyes. He could sense how concerned she was and it was strange that she appeared unable to hide her feelings from him like she usually could. 'Are you OK?' he asked worried.

Gail sensed him reading her and let out a long sigh, before stroking his cheek reassuringly and placing her arm over his shoulders. 'Nothing about what happened is OK' she said honestly and watched his reaction carefully.

Caleb continued to look up at her, disregarding the baby that began to stir in her arm and smiled warmly. 'You don't normally talk to me about this stuff' he stated curiously, wondering why she was being so honest with him now.

'I think we all need to start being honest with one another don't you?' she asked frankly, then placed her Daughter carefully in his arms and watched him warily. 'You won't look at her, why?' Gail acknowledged knowingly.

Caleb's eyes grew wide at the comment and he unable to come up with an answer to the question, then he stared down at the tiny girl in his arms and felt an unexpected warmth flow through him. He had been worried about what this all meant, due to the things Malcolm had told him and how bad his Grandfather had acted; however, now that he held his Sister in his arms and saw how small she truly was, all he felt was a need to protect her and he could not fathom why someone would want to hurt something so small.

Gail saw the shift in his demeanour and let out a relieved laugh. She had been concerned with how Caleb would react to their new arrival and rather than drag out the inevitable, she had made a spare of the moment choice to test where his loyalties lay. Gail felt herself relax when a smile crossed his lips as his little Sister gripped his index finger with her hand and she knew instantly that he was on their side for the moment.

'When can we take her home?' Caleb asked after a few minutes of silence, disregarding the previous question.

'When I know it's safe' Gail advised honestly.

Caleb looked up at her for a moment, then nodded his understanding. 'When can I stay with you? I hate the Boardin' House' he asked hopefully, not wanting to be split up from his family.

'I'm on it' Gail reassured him, then wrapped her arms around both of them and hugged them gently.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Lucas roamed around the hospital casually, making his presence known to the staff and patients. Much like his wife, he did not play well being cooped up in confined spaces and although he was technically free to go, he had resigned himself to staying by her side. That did not mean he liked the situation they were in and he found himself becoming increasingly bored with his sterile surroundings.

The Nurses on duty stumbled all over themselves attempting to get his attention and had his wife not just given birth to their little girl, he may have been able to have a little innocent fun with their desires and spark a game with Gail; however, he respected Gail too much to instigate a play in such a way when she was bound to her room and unable to retaliate, therefore, the Nurses were off limits and he had to find new ways to entertain himself.

Lucas had considered engaging Rita again, knowing the woman was ready to explode due to her frustration with his Deputy; however, Ben's sorry excuse for a life would not abolish his boredom and he needed the man to ensure the trains ran smoothly while he was cooped up here taking care of his family. He also classed the man as one of his inner circle, so he supposed that meant his loved ones were off limits.

Lucas let out a long sigh as he continued on down the quiet corridor, then a devilish smile appeared on his lips as he turned a corner and spotted Matt Crower talking to one of Lucas' most loyal constituents. Les-Bernice was an elderly woman who had supported him since his initial decision to run for Sheriff, she was a feisty old lion who was well respected in the black community and always took it upon herself to shoot Loris Holt down, should Loris decide to speak out of turn against him. The woman had become frail over the past few years; however, she was still as loyal as ever and her appearance here now made Lucas smile.

Matt nodded politely at Mrs Williams, who stood firmly in front of him. He had been attempting to explain the importance of not over exerting herself in her fragile state when the woman had gone off on a tangent about how much she had done before he was even born, and Matt suspected this conversation was not going to go the way he had initially planned.

'-I respect you Doc and I appreciate your advice, but I'm fine and don't need no Yankee half my age tellin' me how to live' Les-Bernice continued, unwilling to allow this young man to lecture her about her health.

'I couldn't say it better myself' Lucas added pleasantly, as he approached the pair and placed his arm around Les-Bernice's small shoulders.

Matt let out an exasperated sigh when he heard the annoying southern drawl he was all to familiar with, and his posture stiffened.

'Why Sheriff, pleasure to see you here. I guess you're tendin' to that pretty flower o' yours...Will you tell this Doctor how we do things down here in the South?' Les-Bernice asked warmly, happy to come across the Sheriff when she was stuck in this dull place.

'Oh I've been tryin' to teach him our ways since he showed up, I guess some folks don't learn 'til they get bit' Lucas smiled charmingly at her, then shot Matt a discreet wink at how easily he could control women.

'I'm trying to help Mrs Williams here Sheri-' Matt started.

'Ms Williams' Lucas corrected smugly, then glanced down at Les-Bernice. 'Don't it feel like only yesterday since poor ol' Hector took that bullet from your shotgun out back of your ol' farmhouse? That was some accident'

Les-Bernice shot Lucas a wicked grin and placed her good arm around his waist affectionately. 'I still don't know how that gun went off Sheriff, poor manufacturin' I guess' she shrugged.

'Poor manufacturin' in deed...let's hope my flower don't decide to invest in what you did, I'd like to keep my head where it is a little longer' Lucas advised candidly, then laughed at the look of warning Les-Bernice gave him.

Matt stared wide eyed at the pair and shook his head slowly. They were talking as though this were the most common thing in the world and did not appear to care at all about his presence. Matt began to wonder how he ever stood a chance in Trinity when most of the folks were intertwined with their sociopath Sheriff and they all seemed crazy.

'I'm sure that Emory girl woulda found some way to quietin' you by now if she were gonna Sheriff' Les-Bernice laugh. 'You got our Yankee lookin' after her? He might be a bit wet, but he's a good soul and the best they got around these parts' she advised, then glanced at Doctor Crower suspiciously when she saw him shift nervously on the spot.

'My flower only needs me lookin' after her, you gotta know that by now' Lucas smiled down at Les-Bernice and gave her a gentle squeeze.

'I reckon I do' she smiled back at him and enjoyed his warmth against her. Les-Bernice knew how things worked in Trinity, the order this man provided was part of the reason she voted for him in every election, that and how easy he was on the eyes. That young Emory girl would have had no idea what she was getting herself into when she shacked up with their charming Sheriff; however, Les-Bernice suspected the girl could hold her own, considering how well Lucas had been behaving over the past few years of them being together. Still, a woman needed a good Doctor after giving birth and the Sheriff certainly was not that.

Lucas sensed her thoughts and let out a small laugh. 'I'd love to have a good trustworthy Doctor for my wife in this tryin' time, but this one don't seem to wanna lend his expertise. Considerin' he was her best friend, it's a shame really' he said in a mock disappointed tone.

'You gonna leave that poor girl in the hands of some oaf while you lecture an ol' scoundrel like me about good livin'?' Les-Bernice asked Matt disapprovingly. 'You need to re-evaluate your priorities Doc'

Matt had felt himself become anxious at the mention of Gail and now that the conversation had turned towards him, he felt himself become more agitated.

'You heard it from the boss Harvard, why don't you refresh my memory about why you're neglectin' my wife? Enquirin' minds wanna know' Lucas asked sarcastically, sensing Matt's discomfort and knowing he was struggling to remember what had happened.

Matt bit his lip in frustration, then stormed away from the pair when he felt himself becoming overwhelmed. He wanted to go to Gail, she had been all that he could think about after he walked in on Lucas in his office earlier; however, he felt a strong shame when he thought about her and he did not know why. He decided the best thing he could do was to try to avoid the Sheriff, so not to be put in this position again and just try to make it through his shift in a professional manner.

'Well that was curious' Les-Bernice advised, as she watched her Doctor leave unexpectedly.

Lucas' grin widened as he watched Matt storm away like a child who had been scolded. He supposed there may be some entertainment here for him yet and winked charmingly at Les-Bernice, before leading her back to her room.

* * *

Ben sat on an uncomfortable bench staring out into the hospitals newly created outdoor area. There were paths for patients to stroll across and flower beds dotted all around the garden, clearly an attempt to ease their stay here. Even though there was a lack of growth due to the lateness in the year and the biting cold that had engulfed the Town suddenly, the garden was pleasant and it gave him a feeling of peace.

'I guess my candidate has done something right since be became Mayor' Gail said pleasantly, as she strolled over to Ben holding her newborn baby, who was wrapped tightly in a warm blanket to shield her from the cold. Gail was going stir crazy in her room and although Caleb's visit had been a welcome distraction from her prison, she had needed to get out.

Ben glanced up at Gail and smiled warmly at her. With everything that had been going on in his personal and professional life recently, he had not had an opportunity to spend time with her alone and he was glad to see her looking her radiant self. 'Welcome to the place of wonders, this is all we need to make life in Trinity perfect' he said sarcastically and beckoned her to sit beside him.

Gail sensed Ben's immense stress immediately and felt her Daughter stir in her arms. Gail hoped that her little girl was not as intuitive as she suspected she would be, otherwise she would have to step up her efforts to shield her feelings to ensure her Daughter remained unscathed from how damaged both her and Lucas were. 'A bit of grass and a bench does wonders in disguising the prison we're in, I actually thought I was on the open road for a moment there' she joked, then turned her attention back towards Ben.

Ben laughed loudly and shook his head, then gently moved the blanket away from the baby's face and smiled down warmly at her. 'You think they know how screwed up our lives are?' he asked casually, thinking of his Daughter Izzy.

'I think we're too good to let it show, at least I hope we are' Gail answered honestly, giving Ben a tired smile when he returned his attention to her.

'You got a name yet?' he asked, trying to distract himself from his own life.

'You going to tell me what's wrong rather than making false conversation?' Gail asked seriously, not having the strength to hide her impatience and not liking sensing Ben's agitation.

Ben stared at her suspiciously for a moment, thinking about how Lucas always seemed to know his thoughts and hating being that easy to read, then remembered it was Gail he was with and his demeanour softened. 'Rita's on edge, she says I don't wanna make an honest woman of her' he said finally and stared out into the garden sadly.

'An honest woman? Is there such a thing these days?' Gail laughed, then spotted Ben's concern and cursed herself for not taking his pain seriously.

'She says she's in a rut and I I guess I ain't helpin'' Ben shrugged, feeling worthless as usual.

Gail had noticed how down Rita had been for the past few months; however, the woman had not been her problem and she had enough on her plate to deal with. Now that she saw Ben in his current self loathing state, she felt bad that she had not made the effort to help and cursed herself for being so self absorbed. 'You know, someone once told me that Lucas wrote the book on keeping women in the palm of his hand' she said before she even realised the words were coming out of her mouth, then cradled her Daughter gently.

Ben stared at Gail confused for a moment, then shook his head and continued to stare into the garden. 'My boss has many redeemin' qualities apparently' he laughed sarcastically.

'Your friend has a strong sense of loyalty and understands women better than I do' Gail admitted, hating recognising Lucas' talents were better than her own and having to remind Ben of what Lucas really was to him.

Ben thought about the statement and let out a long sigh. He had known Lucas for years and the man had helped him on countless occasions when he had financial issues with Barbara Joy, or Ben Jr; however, he had never truly thought of Lucas as a friend.

'Start' Gail said bluntly as she read his thoughts, then smiled to herself at the realisation of some familiar senses returning to her. She was not so naive to her husbands charms with women and if Ben was truly having problems with Rita, Lucas would be able to assist him without a doubt.

Ben stared at her blankly for a moment, before deciding that he did not want to palm his problems off onto Gail in her slightly weakened state. He let out a small laugh at his current predicament and signalled for her to stand. 'Come on get up, this utopia is freezin' and my friend won't take kindly to his little girl turnin' into an icicle' he smiled and helped Gail stand up carefully.

Gail let out a long sigh as she stared up at the uninviting brick building, then followed Ben's orders and started to walk back towards her prison.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Over a week had passed and Caleb was still residing in the Boarding House, feeling deflated and frustrated with his family. After his visit with Gail, he had expected to at least be allowed to stay at the hospital with his parents; however, nothing had come from their discussion and he was starting to feel abandoned.

Caleb was not impressed with his parent's behaviour. He believed it was selfish of them to split their family up and forget about him so he had done the one thing that he was really good at, he rebelled.

'You want some tea with your cereal?' Merlyn asked, glad that her Brother had been allowed to stay with her while Gail was still in hospital.

'Can I have some hot chocolate?' Caleb asked hopefully, enjoying spending some time with his actual family rather than strangers in the Boarding House.

Merlyn laughed at the request, then headed towards her cupboards to see what she had in. 'I'll see what I can muster up, it ain't gonna be that posh stuff Gail buys though. I ain't made of money'

'She'd get you some if you asked' Caleb advised pleasantly and glanced around the bright homely Kitchen curiously.

'Not before scoldon' me for not workin' for what I want' Merlyn retorted, then they both laughed at their Cousin's stubbornness.

'The baby's pretty, you'd like her' Caleb smiled, thinking back to his younger Sister.

Merlyn did not respond to the comment and just poured some milk into a pan, then placed it on a hob to heat slowly. She had not been to visit her Cousin in the hospital for a while, she had been unable to shake her resentment for how Matt see's her and Merlyn did not want Gail to sense her thoughts as she did not believe she would react well.

'You wanna come with me today? I ain't goin' to School anyway' Caleb offered when he got no response from his Sister.

'You are goin' to School and I'm busy at the shelter' Merlyn advised sternly.

'Oh come on, you only have two kids who turn up each day and Abe helps you with that. Besides, you ain't the boss of me' Caleb said confidently and held his Sisters gaze when she shot him an unimpressed look.

'Oh it's like that is it? Your Daddy ain't around so you wanna start on me?' Merlyn asked moodily.

'Stop behaving like children the both of you and eat your breakfast' Matt ordered flatly, as he entered the kitchen and began making himself a coffee.

Merlyn spotted the dark circles around Matt's eyes and reached her hand up to stroke his cheek affectionately; however, he pulled back from her touch and she felt herself becoming upset. Suddenly the telephone started to ring and she was thankful for a reason to leave the uncomfortable Kitchen.

Caleb watched Matt closely, sensing he had upset his Sister and wondered why he was behaving so coldly towards her. 'You gonna see Gail today?' he asked bluntly to change his focus, then ate a spoonful of his cereal.

'I'm going to go to work Caleb, whatever happens while I'm there is anyone's guess' Matt sighed, attempting not to let his agitation turn towards the boy he cared so much for; however, not liking the resemblance in his eyes to his Father.

'Luke looks more like our Daddy, I'm just the runt of the family' Caleb said bitterly, not shielding the fact that he had read Matt's mind.

Matt stared at Caleb suspiciously for a moment and was about to answer the comment; however, M's voice travelled into the Kitchen and he chose to remain silent.

'He's supposed to be where? No, he's here and he's safe. I thought he was supposed to be stayin' here!' Merlyn snapped irritated, then hung up the telephone when Loris began to talk down to her like a child and took a deep breath to calm her anger. When she had regained control of her emotions, she walked back into the Kitchen and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at her Brother disapprovingly.

'Who was that?' Matt asked without looking at her, as he continued to make his coffee.

'Loris Holt, calling about a child who'd gone missin' from her care apparently' Merlyn answered irritated and shot Caleb a frustrated look.

'If she was carin' for me properly she woulda noticed I weren't there before now' Caleb shrugged, then got up from the table and went to fetch the hot milk for his drink.

'The boy's got a point' Matt stated uninterested.

Merlyn looked from Matt to Caleb, then let out a loud exasperated sigh and stormed out of the Kitchen.

'Can I come the hospital with you?' Caleb asked Matt, disregarding his Sisters dramatic exit.

'Only if you can keep your Father on a leash' Matt advised wearily, then sat down at the table with Caleb and ruffled his hair affectionately.

* * *

Gail paced her hospital room impatiently, feeling like the walls were closing in on her. It was now coming on three weeks that she had been trapped in this cold, monstrosity of a building and she missed her boys, not to mention her freedom.

Gail was not unreasonable, she understood why Lucas was reluctant to allow her to return home and she had agreed with this stance at first. When her agreement faded and she began to feel trapped, she had still gone along with the plan based on the fact that her husband would resolve what was required with the forces that his family served, those same forces that evidently wished her dead; however, her patience with it all was wearing thin and she just wanted to go.

'Will you calm down?' Lucas asked patiently, then grabbed her arm as she passed by him for the fourth time. With her hair tied up in a lose messy bun and her short pink nightdress floating high above her knees, she did not look a day older than when he first officially met her and he pulled her to his chest, in an attempt to ease her anxiousness.

'I want my boys-' she started in a demanded tone, wrapping her robe around her cool body to create some warmth.

'And they want you, but we have someone else to think about now don't we?' Lucas asked calmly as he moved his free hand inside her robe to her tender breast and cupped it gently, before slowly stroking her soft nipple soothingly and watching her reaction carefully.

Gail inhaled deeply and shook her head at his coolness. She felt as though she was about to explode but here he was the picture of tranquillity. 'I know all to well who we need to think about, but I can't protect her if I lose my mind in this cell whilst being torn away from my boys' she said through gritted teeth, not wanting to wake their sleeping Daughter who was resting peacefully in the crib next to her bed.

'You have me don't you?' Lucas tried to reason, 'This not a prison, it's not a cell and you can go out whenever you want-'

'Under your supervision and not past the parking lot!' Gail snapped, then cursed herself for losing control when she heard her Daughter stir.

Lucas continued to stroke her breast intently and bit his bottom lip when he felt her nipple harden under his thumb. 'I'm not your jailer Love, you know I like it when you're wild and free' he whispered, then ran his nose gently over her chin and began kissing her neck softly.

Gail inhaled deeply as she felt his warm lips brush against her skin and he squeezed her breast tighter. She had been attempting to disregard his roaming hand; however, her body had started to betray her as usual. 'Splitting up our family for a prolonged amount of time isn't an acceptable solution Lucas, I'd rather take my chances at the hell-mouth' she advised as she tried to keep her composure, then instinctively tangled her fingers in his thick caramel blonde hair and moved her head to the side to allow him more access to her.

Lucas let out a small chuckle at her comment, then ran his tongue up her neck and cupped her chin in his hand dominantly. 'And had you have not disposed of the only messenger we knew of, that may have been an option Gail' he said quietly, staring deep into her eyes and feeling his familiar urges begin to stir.

'So I should've stood by and let Malcolm hurt me? Would that have been easier for you?' she asked in disbelief.

'Of course not, but I don't know how bad this is now and he could've shed some light on it had I have been able to locate the meddlin' ass' Lucas advised as he tried to keep his tone calm, then pulled her lips to his before she had a chance to respond and kissed her passionately.

With everything that had been going on, they had not had the chance to be together fully and Gail felt her darkness begin to rise within her. This was the first time since the incident with Malcolm that she had truly felt her darkness stir and she opened herself up to being taken over by it, wanting to feel it's security again.

'Now, now Love' Lucas whispered in her ear when he sensed her willingness to give in to her darkness, 'Look what happened the last time you decided to be so care free'

'You're not scared of little ol' me are you Sheriff?' Gail teased quietly, then laughed as he lifted her up and carried her towards the open window that Judith Temple had fallen through, and allowed him to rest her against the window ledge carefully.

'Are you scared of heights Mrs Buck?' Lucas asked playfully, sensing her excitement as he removed her robe and it fell out of the window.

Gail glanced over her shoulder at the path several floors beneath them and inhaled deeply. 'Not when you'll be coming with me should I slip Master Buck' she said excitedly as she wrapped her legs around him, then let out a low moan when his hands trailed under her short nightdress and he began teasing her sweet spot with his fingers.

'Some would find this disrespectful' Lucas mocked in a scolding manner, as he pushed her further out of the window and began unbuckling his belt.

'And some would envy my position' Gail laughed knowingly, then trailed her hands down his chest and unzipped his pants to reveal his hard manhood standing up for her. 'If I had a Doctor, he would advise strongly against this' she said sarcastically.

'Then it's lucky you ain't got one isn't it?' Lucas stated amused at the comment, then thrust his hard manhood inside of her and let out a loud moan at how tight she was. 'You heal nearly as quick as I do Love' he smiled, then began sucking her neck seductively as he allowed her body to get used to his size again.

'I have some redeeming qualities' she retorted, then bit her lip to stifle her pained moan as he began taking her tender spot dominantly.

Lucas sensed her desire and her pain, she was intoxicating and he could not stop now even if he wanted to. This was always his problem, when he craved something he would take it no matter what the consequences were and when he wanted his Love it was no different. The up side of having such a strong partner was that she would never tell him to stop in their intimate exchanges, no matter how much he hurt her and he knew exactly how much she craved him regardless of the pain it may bring.

Gail felt her mind become clear and sensed his thoughts for the first time in a month. He was not wrong and deep down she knew that she liked this treatment from him, they had a strange relationship but they were partners all the same and destined to be together. When he began to move in and out of her slowly, she clenched her muscles tight and a sharp pain surged through her sensitive area. As he continued to take her carefully, she began to loosen around him and the familiar pleasure began flooding in.

'That's better' Lucas sighed satisfied, as he felt her wetness surround him and began to push deeper inside of her.

Gail tangled her hand into his hair and pulled his face to hers, resting her nose on his affectionately. 'If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying not to hurt me' she smiled, then let out a pained moan as he pulled out of her slightly.

'God forbid I show my wife some tenderness' Lucas whispered in her ear, then thrust his manhood as far into her as he could carefully.

Gail let out a loud moan then laughed, amused at his sentiment. 'Now, what did you do with my husband? This impostor certainly ain't up to his moral standards' she joked in a thick southern accent and bit her lip when she felt his teeth sink into her neck hard. 'That's more like it' she smiled and kissed him passionately as he began thrusting in and out of her like she knew he would, unable to keep his composure for long.

Lucas panted hard as he felt the intense burst of pleasure flow through him and he was unable to push down his urges any longer. Her postnatal problems had become an inconvenience, this act was long overdue and he savoured the feel of himself inside of her.

'Well I'm sorry for having to heal after giving birth to your child' Gail joked in disbelief of the thoughts she had just read, then bit his shoulder hard as a strong burst of pleasure surged through her.

'It's alright Darlin', we're rightin' that wrong now and we'll make up for lost time' Lucas smiled devilishly as he began to thrust into her harder, trying to satiate his animal urges.

* * *

Matt exited Abraham's car and signalled for Caleb to follow him, while Abraham got Luke from his car seat. He had not wanted to travel to work with the Buck family; however, when Abraham had turned up at M's looking for Caleb, the family had decided to visit Gail and it did not make sense for Matt to refuse the lift.

Although Matt had been feeling on edge recently, partly due to Lucas' meddling while his presence was increased in the hospital, it was nice to spend some time with Caleb and he felt some semblance of himself returning. It was beginning to look that his day may be taking a turn for the better and he was happy to embrace the positive change.

'Is that Gail?' Caleb asked curiously, as he tugged on Matt's shirt and pointed to an open window several floors up, after he had spotted a robe on the ground.

Matt stared up in the direction Caleb was pointing, then shook his head furiously at what he knew he was seeing.

'Whatcha all starin' at? We'll catch the death of cold out here' Abe scolded the pair who had abruptly stopped when he was trying to get Luke into the warm, then looked up and let out an irritated sigh.

'What's she doin'? Ain't she gonna catch a cold?' Caleb asked, concerned that Gail was sitting with her back out of the window wearing only her thin nightdress.

'She'll catch more than that' Matt snapped angrily, then stormed towards the stone steps at the entrance of the hospital and resigned himself to another bad day.

Caleb watched Matt leave, then turned towards Abe who was staring up at the open window disapprovingly.

'Come on boy, we're gonna take the long way 'round, before we head in and I give Daddy a talkin' to about good etiquette in a public place' Abe advised and smiled when Caleb obeyed his order.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Lucas strolled the hospital corridors confidently, satisfied that he had erased his wife's previous concerns and happy that she had decided to rest with their children. Abe had informed him of what they had all witnessed on the way in and although his oldest friend had threatened him with some strong words, Lucas was more interested in Harvard's reaction. This could not have turned out better even if he had planned it.

Matt checked his chart and headed to the next patient on his list, attempting to stay focused on his work rather than the disturbing scene he had witnessed earlier. Whenever his mind wandering to Gail at the window where Judith Temple had supposedly killed herself, he felt a strong hatred resonate in his mind; however, it was not aimed at his best friend, it was directed straight at Lucas Buck.

'That's a little harsh isn't it Doc? You can't surely wanna punish a husband for makin' love to his wife when she was in a concerned state' Lucas mocked and smiled when Matt tensed at the sound of his voice.

Matt looked up from his chart and saw Lucas sat on his next patients bed casually, as though his presence there was the most natural thing in the world. For the past week, Lucas had showed up in several places throughout the hospital to bother him and it was becoming tiresome. Matt had been trying to ignore his presence; however, he could not deny that the man was chipping away at his self control and it was getting harder to ignore him.

'Just like I do with Gail, I guess you two are more alike than I thought' Lucas smiled smugly, then stood carefully so not to wake Mr Travis, who had been in an unfortunate accident with his cattle, and approached Matt's position slowly.

'You really think it's appropriate to force a recently pregnant woman to have sex?' Matt asked in detestation, unable to hide his true resentment for the man.

'That recently pregnant woman was the one who unzipped my pants Doc, maybe you need to pay her a visit and lecture her for being unable to control her urges' Lucas suggested, knowing the man was still afraid to face Gail.

Matt inhaled deeply and stared deep into Lucas' eyes. He felt his rage stirring and clenched his fist, remembering how good it felt to hit him several years ago.

'Go on Harvard, show some balls for a change.I'll even pretend I ain't in law enforcement and we'll just deal with this once and for all, man to man' Lucas goaded, willing Matt to make a move against him.

Matt took a step forward and felt his nails pierce his skin due to how tight his fists were clenched. He wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off Lucas' face and was willing to accept the consequences, to experience the feeling of punching his jaw again.

'Stop!' Gail ordered calmly, as she approached the pair holding Luke in her arms.

Matt froze at the sound of her voice and his skin began to crawl at the smug smile that came over Lucas' lips.

'You feelin' refreshed Love?' Lucas asked sarcastically, not taking his eyes off Matt.

'I'm feeling refreshed enough to take you both on, should you dare make a move in front of my children' she warned, unimpressed at the scene she had just stumbled across.

Matt broke the stare and glanced over his shoulder, to see Caleb watching him confused at Gail's side. 'I didn't mean-'

'Go' Gail ordered coldly, 'I'm sure you have other patients to attend to'

Matt nodded nervously, then rushed down the corridor to escape his awkward feelings. Gail watched him sadly and shook her head at her oblivion to what was going on while she was locked away in her hospital room, then turned her attention towards Lucas. 'I leave you unattended for a short time-'

'And everythin' runs smoothly' Lucas finished her sentence sarcastically, then approached his family and placed a kiss on her forehead before escorting them back to Gail's room.

* * *

Rita ran her hands through her auburn hair in exasperation and slammed the medical cabinet full of files closed in frustration. She had been on edge for weeks now and was finding it hard to control her emotions at home, let alone at work. Ben's supportive nature only made her feel worse, at times she felt lucky to have such an understanding man in her life; however, other times she found his easy going nature insulting and resented him for his lack of ambition.

Another Nurse entered the records room and she forced a welcoming smile, her colleagues had been swooning over the Sheriff for weeks and she found it hard to take them seriously when any one of them would disregard the fact that he was married should he show them any actual interest.

'Did you find Mrs Carmichael's file?' Stacey asked in a false sweet tone, as she glanced around the filing cabinets attempting to figure out where to start.

'Doctor Flemming think's I need a Chaperone to find a file?' Rita joked.

'Well you ain't found it yet have you?' Stacey said sarcastically.

Rita stared at Stacey bitterly, then got up slowly and headed for the door.

'Where you goin'?' Stacey asked confused.

'To go make some Doctor a coffee' Rita replied irritated and slamming the door closed as she exited, then jumped when she saw the Sheriff leaning causally against the wall next to her.

'That weren't very invitin'' Lucas stated, amused.

'I'm not in a very welcomin' mood Sheriff, but what can I do for you?' Rita asked, forcing a sweet smile.

'You hit the nail on the head. Any one of your colleagues would come runnin' if I clicked my fingers, but you never have...why is that I wonder?' Lucas pondered aloud, not caring he was alerting her to the fact that he had read her thoughts.

Rita gasped at the question and glanced around the corridor, which had suddenly became deserted. She knew better than to be alone with Lucas Buck and she found herself wanting to return back to the records room.

'You don't really wanna go there, not when your senior colleagues don't even show enough trust in you to locate a file' Lucas advised knowingly.

'What do you want?' Rita asked, not wanting to get dragged into one of his games. She had heard enough stories to know that you did not make your presence known when Lucas Buck was in a playful mood.

Lucas smiled at the candidness of her thoughts and moved towards her when she tried to back up discreetly. 'I think the real question is what do you want? Do you want a wedding? Do you want a title? Do you just wanna go on your merry way through life without makin' a mark-'

'No!' Rita snapped before she could stop herself, then placed her hand over her mouth in shock at interrupting him.

Lucas laughed and nodded. 'Atta girl, there's some of the feisty attitude that I knew was hidin''

* * *

Gail strolled the corridors with Ben, taking pleasure in hearing about all the mundane things she had missed after the ordeal she had gone through to get her little girl into the world. Her boys had left with Abe on the basis that they could return later and she was enjoying the pleasant stroll, hoping it would distract her from Matt's clear depression.

'-You shoulda seen him, the pot dropped to the floor and poor ol' Floyd thought Cecil had taken a shot at him! I've never seen a man draw a gun so fast in my life' Ben laughed, recalling the incident on his morning patrol.

'I wish I'd have seen that, although I'd be a little nervous working with a man so quick to draw his weapon' Gail stated concerned.

'Aww hell, Floyd's harmless...he'd likely shoot himself before he shot anyone else' Ben smiled reassuringly.

'I'll take your word for it' Gail laughed and linked Ben's arm affectionately. 'How are things with you? The last time we spoke there were a few concerns'

Ben inhaled deeply and forced a smile. 'Thing's are alright I guess, Rita seems more content and Izzy's doin' great'

'Content huh?' Gail asked suspiciously, knowing that word was not necessarily a positive. 'Any further along with the wedding plans?'

'Not yet' Ben shrugged, 'I did what you said and asked Lucas to lend a hand earlier, he'd pay for it all if I let him'

'You did what?' Gail asked suddenly, stopping in her tracks and turning Ben towards her.

'I asked Lucas to help like you told me to' Ben answered confused.

'I said remind him that he's your friend and ask him about woman, not enlist his help with whatever's going on. You know better than to be tied in to that Ben' she said disappointingly and let out a long sigh.

Ben sensed her disappointment and cursed himself for being so stupid. 'You don't think he'll take this as a deal do you Gail?' he asked concerned.

'For both of your sake's I hope not' she advised, then started walking down the corridor on the look out for her husband.

* * *

Rita sat in the deserted garden next to the Sheriff, wondering why she was allowing herself to do this. She knew all the stories about this man and had sworn she would never get entangled with him; however, here she was smelling his sweet cologne and feeling like she was swooning like all of the other dim Nurses.

'Don't be so hard on yourself' Lucas said charmingly, as he brushed his hand against her knee gently. 'Anyone will tell you that if you want somethin' done right, you need to trust the man with the star'

Rita inhaled deeply at the feel of his warm hand on her knee and felt something stir within her. She was not naive, she knew that he was not interested in her on a intimate level; however, sitting next to him under his handsome gaze made her feel like a teenager again, and it felt exciting to be here with him. 'You asked me what I wanted' she said finally, struggling to find her voice in his enchanting presence.

'That's what I care about...all you gotta do is ask nicely and it'll come' Lucas smiled a welcoming smile, not unlike the serpent in the garden of Eden.

'You can't give me what I want, it's too late and I'm too old to start now' Rita advised, not allowing herself to get her hopes up about actually being able to achieve her goals.

'It's never too late Darlin', you just gotta take that first step' Lucas advised soothingly, then sensed some resistance and decided to change tactic. 'You think Gail ever believed she would be married with three children and still able to work in her chosen profession? People make sacrifices to reach their potential-'

'What did she sacrifice?' Rita interrupted curiously.

'Her freedom' Gail answered bluntly, as she leaned against the door leading to the garden and shot Lucas a look of disdain.

Rita turned towards Gail and stood up instantly, trying to hide her guilt. 'We were just-'

'Discussing your life goals, I get it. Next time, come to someone who would truly have your best interests at heart' Gail interrupted disappointedly, then stared at Lucas irritated when Rita rushed off.

Lucas felt his twin stir as his lamb escaped due to his Love's interference, and he stood up to meet her head on.

'Bored Soulmate?' Gail asked forcing a sweet tone, as she closed the distance between them and stood tall in front of him.

'Workin' as usual Love, you suddenly got a problem with that?' Lucas asked more angrily than he had intended.

'I don't wanna know about your work. What I have a problem with is you working on our friends, these people help look after our children when we can't Lucas!' Gail snapped, her rage beginning to manifest inside of her.

'All I'm doin' is helpin' a woman who feels underappreciated to reach her true potential, I thought you'd be all on board with that Sweetheart' Lucas stated calmly, not allowing his anger to take full hold.

'And what would the deal have been Honey? A little slap and tickle when you're feeling unloved?' Gail accused hurtfully, then instantly regretted the comment when she saw the wounded look on his face.

Lucas felt his twin just under his surface ready to retaliate harshly; however, he kept him caged and attempted to regain his composure. He wanted to lash out fully at the accusation more than anything, but she was not strong enough yet to make it a fair fight. 'She ain't you Love, she wouldn't give it up just to hear a little secret about her Daddy' he said hurtfully, unable to stop himself from reminding her of her weakness.

Gail forced herself to remain calm, not allowing herself to give a rise to the comment. It was clear that both of their emotions were up the wall, she had known being cooped up here was impacting her; however, this was the first time that she had seen visible signs of it affecting her usually level headed husband, and she realised that he felt as caged as she did. 'We need to get out of here and go home Lucas, or we're both going to lose it. Either you take charge of this or I will' she warned seriously, then headed back into the building she thought of as her prison and tried to find Rita.

Lucas watched her as she left and pondered over her words. He had not considered that he may be affected by this time away from his home; however, upon reflection his willingness to take Gail at a window where all entering the hospital could witness, not to mention making a deal with his most trusted friends Fiance, was out of character for him. Lucas supposed it was time to face whatever had been awoken by his Daughters conception and headed out of the hospital, to survey the damage she had caused.

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 6

Gail sat on the uncomfortable bed in her room, watching her Daughter closely. She had sensed Lucas leave the hospital and although she had ordered him to sort this matter out once and for all, she felt a strange unease at being the only one here to protect their little girl.

'I couldn't save myself so I could protect Lucy, I hope you can keep yourself alive to keep her safe' Christie advised sadly, as she appeared at the foot of her bed and smiled warmly at the baby beside her friend.

Gail let out a relieved breath when she saw her dead friend, the last she had seen of her was when Rosemary dragged Malcolm away from this hospital to protect her and this visit came as a surprise. 'I'm not going anywhere and I'd hate to see the state of someone who tried to take me away from my Daughter' she forced a smile, trying not to let her unease show.

'And if your husband is consumed by those strange forces at his property, what then? Would you protect your Daughter if it was him who came for her?' Christie asked grimly.

'With my life' Gail said without hesitation. 'Is there something you know that I don't?' she asked Christie, suddenly concerned at her friends timing for revealing herself.

Christie let out a long sigh and shook her head. 'I just know the ramblings of a desperate man. I suppose his faith in his Son could have been misplaced' she shrugged, then disappeared.

Gail stared around the empty room uncomfortably, then picked up her Daughter and held her close to her chest protectively. Lucas was loyal to them above anything, she was confident of that; however, her dead friends words unsettled her all the same and she prayed that her husband would return to her unchanged.

* * *

Lucas stood outside of the heavy black iron gates which closed off the entrance of his property to the outside world, considering his best course of action. After a few moments of contemplation, he laughed to himself at his tentativeness and opened the gates, stepping over the threshold into his domain confidently.

This property was a prize possession of his, it was unique and full of character just like him and it had served him well for decades. 'I am Lucas Buck and I dare you to challenge that' Lucas said clearly out loud, as he walked up the path then crossed over onto the grass which led to the side of the property.

He took a moment to trace the route he was taking, and realised that this was the route he had taken when he first lay with Gail. He remembered his anticipation of their union and the excitement like it was yesterday. She had teased him so many times when she returned to Trinity, giving him just enough to entice him further and she had been the only woman to withstand his charm for so long.

It was no wonder that he still craved her after all of the waiting she had put him through, he had not even been sure that she would show up on that fateful day and the attraction he felt for her when she opened the gate to his property was immense. His desire was stronger than he had ever felt before and the uncertainty of whether she would actually give herself over to him made it all the more exciting. When their lips finally met through mutual acceptance, the darkness within him stirred fiercely and she awoke something inside that still burned bright today.

A strong gust of wind blew over the stone gargoyle behind him and Lucas shook his head disapprovingly. 'You don't get to bark orders at me, I'll come when I'm good and ready' he said to no one in particular, then decided to sit down on the small bench that he had placed Gail on before finally dragging her to the ground and taking her in the soil to commemorate their pure union.

* * *

Gail stood on the riverbank peacefully staring into the wild river, watching the waves as they twisted and turned. She did not recall ever seeing the Trinity River in such turmoil; however, she did not care about the unsettled water, she just loved being here out in the open as it made her feel at ease.

A dark figure caught her attention across the River and she disregarded it's presence. Her husband had his domain and this was hers, she had referred to the Wicca Store as her sanctuary; however, this was her true place, outdoors amongst the swirling River and she was not fazed by the unwelcome presence here, even when she alone.

'You stupid girl' Malcolm's voice hissed from all around her, making her aware that she was definitely not alone.

Gail shook herself awake and bolted upright in her bed, her eyes shot to the crib beside her and she let out a relieved breath when she saw their Daughter staring up at her curiously. 'I'm losing my mind' she laughed to her little girl, then lay back in the bed and tried to shake off her unease.

Suddenly her mind was plagued with a vivid vision of her first union with Lucas in their garden. The vision took over her senses and played out exactly how it did at the time, as though she was experiencing the encounter all over again. When she felt Lucas enter her for the first time, she let out an aroused breath and closed her eyes at the intense pleasure he gave her. She felt his hands on her breasts, beneath her skirt and tangled into her hair when he kissed her forcefully, unable to control his urges when he finally had her.

Gail felt her whole body begin to relax, as the intense pleasure travelled through her. She did not question the memory of their first union, she just welcomed the pleasure and allowed her body to feel everything as it played out in her mind. When Lucas erupted inside of her she closed her eyes tight and bit her bottom lip hard, experienced a strange sense of confusion.

Although Gail had given herself over to him fully and this encounter marked their first official union, they had never made it to a full climax that first time as their union was abruptly interrupted by the plague that had befallen Trinity; however, this vision continued on as though she had never become ill and she felt him explode within her, as she had so many occasions after that encounter.

Lucas rolled onto his back and unbuttoned her pink cardigan, whilst still remaining hard inside of her. She scratched her nails roughly down his lean chest and began riding him vigorously, savouring the feel of him inside of her and the connection they shared. His hands gripped her waist as he pushed his hips up, forcing himself deeper inside of her and she called out his name uncontrollably, feeling him take over her soul and letting him in willingly.

Gail forced herself to open her eyes, knowing this was all wrong. She let out a sharp gasp when she was met with black eyes staring deep into her soul and rolled off the bed abruptly, landing hard on the floor and cursing out loud when she felt her arm crack.

Matt had been standing outside of the room trying to muster up the courage to enter, when he heard a loud thud and his best friend curse. He rushed into the room to find her laying wounded on the floor and hurried to her aid, disregarding her attempts to push him away. 'Will you stop fighting!' he snapped, then let out a long breath to control his emotions and carefully helped her off of the floor when she appeared to take notice of him.

Gail felt a shadow of threat come over her and she started to stand up instinctively; however, Matt pushed her down gently and stood over, trying to demonstrate his authority.

'I know you don't want me here, but I am your Doctor and-'

'This isn't about you it's Lucas!' Gail snapped impatiently and tried to get up again. 'I really need to go Matt, somethings wrong'

Matt stared at her concerned for a moment, then gently held her in place on the bed and cupped her chin in his hands. 'I don't know what's going on with you two, but if there really is something with Lucas then he wouldn't want you in his way' he tried to reason, then gave her a relieved smile when she relaxed and let him tend to her wound.

Gail glanced at her little girl protectively and tried to remain calm while Matt checked her arm, not alerting him to concern. The figure had disappeared when Matt entered the room; however, that did not fill her with a sense of ease.

* * *

Lucas whistled patiently while he waited for the wind to die down. The powers that resided within these grounds should know that he would not be controlled or summoned in any way, this was his home and he was the Master. When he was satisfied that whatever was controlling his Father had pulled back on the theatrics, he stood up slowly and began casually walking around to the back of the property, as though he did not have a care in the world.

The temperature appeared to drop as he reached the large fountain that Gail was so fond of and he felt something strong tugging at his senses; however, he refused to allow it access to what he was thinking or feeling and continued to show his dominance. Lucas had paid his dues long before now and whatever deals he made were of his own volition. He did not provide the lost souls to the powers that be because he had to, he did it because he enjoyed it and this was who he was. For the powers that his family had served proudly for centuries to make a move against one of his own, that betrayal would not go unanswered and Lucas was out of blood.

The dark figure moved from behind the trees at the far end of the garden discreetly, it had known he would come and had been waiting for it's opportunity to tempt him away from the woman he was so obsessed with. It knew it would only be a matter of time before he came to them, this Buck had been the most fruitful of the lineage and his loyalty was unwavering.

'That goes towards my family too' Lucas advised aloud honestly, when he sensed the dark presence force and continued on towards the woods, unfazed by the skulking going on behind him.

* * *

Gail smiled reassuring at Matt and lay down in her bed, indicating she was ready to get some rest. She had made small talk with him and convinced him that everything between them was OK; however, she was not focused on him at all right now and her mind was filled with dark images of her husband. When Matt finally left, she turned towards her Daughter and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She heard the low growls come from beneath her bed and knew her girl would be covered while she did what she had to do.

Without a second thought, Gail took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She sensed something pulling her husband, something strong and malevolent which she was not sure that she could compete with, as she had not fully recovered from the labour. She did not want to do this; however, her options were limited and she sensed the dark thing craving her husband more than it ever had.

A bright flash shone in front of her eyes and she looked up to see storm clouds in the sky above her. She was no longer in the hospital, she was back at her true sanctuary; however, she did not feel as safe as she once had and the unsettled water made her uneasy. 'I know you're here, show your face so we can end this once and for all' she shouted at the River and waited impatiently for any signs of life.

'This ain't gonna end now, you've caused too many waves to leave unscathed' Malcolm laughed, as he walked up from the depths of the River and stood in front of her, with half of his face ripped off.

'What's happening? Who is that?' Gail asked, disregarding the chunks that were missing of Malcolm and signalled towards the dark figure on the other side of the River.

'He just is...he's everywhere' Malcolm whispered smugly, then laughed when Gail surveyed the area and saw that she was surrounded by dark figures.

'I'm not scared of you or whatever that is, I have my protection or have you forgotten about her already?' Gail asked amused, sensing Rosemary lurking in the water just waiting to be summoned.

'You're nearly as cocky as my boy. He'll try to take it all on by himself and could probably win, but it'll change him and it's all because of you' Malcolm advised, circling her like a predator would circle it's prey.

'Your boy is evil and I've already gotten what I need from him in my children, maybe I don't care what happens to him now. Maybe the life of my family depends on being brought up by a normal parent, who can provide a different way to what's been handed down through the Buck lines' Gail bluffed feigning confidence, sensing the dark figures edging closer to her and not allowing herself to be controlled by a mere threat.

'No threat, he's ours and he always will be. What's left now is how much of himself remains when we're done with him' a mysterious voice hissed around the area, making it clear that her thoughts were not shielded.

'What do you want?' Gail demanded, suddenly feeling that she was outnumbered even with Rosemary's protection.

'It's about what you want, you've already upset our order and now our best soldier is fighting for you-'

'For our family' Gail interrupted, trying to remain in control.

'For you' the mysterious voice corrected and edged closer to her. 'We won't harm him too much, he'll take a bite of us and we'll let him'

'Why?' Gail asked confused and stared at Malcolm with hatred in her eyes.

'Because they can and the more power he uses to fight them, the weaker his resolve will be...Tire out the bull and you stand a chance of victory' Malcolm advised and smiled maliciously at her.

Gail was hit with an intense clarity and it suddenly became clear that this was a trap. Ever since her darkness had manifested itself fully she had felt eyes on her, and had been unable to shake the feeling of being followed. She lived in that property, freely wandering it's cursed grounds with it's unnatural graveyard. How could she have missed the interest that she posed to these forces, who's beloved soldier had served unwavering for so long. She could control Lucas to an extent, it was not even that hard these days. He was always telling her that his loyalty to her was unwavering and being here in this situation made perfect sense to her now.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'You stupid girl' she insulted herself, then ran her hand through her thick dark brown hair. 'Are you going to kill me?' she asked quietly, feeling her darkness rise within her ready for a fight.

'On the contrary, you've already done the damage and he's truly obsessed with you, even we know that play would not be smart' the mysterious voice said bitterly.

'Then what?' Gail asked anxiously, growing impatient with this meeting and wanting desperately to get back to her Daughter.

'Yield' the voice ordered calmly, with an amused undertone.

Gail could not hold in her laughter and shook her head frantically. 'Then you take my Daughter? Not a chance'

'Again, he's become accustomed to both of your abominations, that's not the smart play. Yield, accept your place by his side and let the true heir take his place when the time comes' The mysterious voice suggested, unwilling to give up on it's terms.

'Over my dead body!' Gail snapped, suddenly concerned about Caleb.

'You don't have a choice, you yield and kneel to show your loyalty, then you get to come home with your family. If not, you stay here and your Love changes forever'

Gail considered reaching out to Lucas, knowing he could put an end to this absurdity instantly; however, she wondered how much of him would be consumed in the fight and thought better of getting him involved here. She had known their connection would turn into something bad and of course she had been proven right.

'You're delusional if you truly believe I would kneel' Gail said finally, not willing to get on her knees for anyone unless it was on her terms.

'A goodwill gesture goes a long way to proving loyalty, your Love showed that when he tortured and murdered his Father to take his place at the forefront of the family' the mysterious voice laughed.

'If it's a gesture of goodwill you want, then take him' Gail offered through gritted teeth and looked at Malcolm, ignoring Rosemary's frustrated scream when she realised her new toy was being taken away.

There was silence for a moment, then the air was filled with whispers from all around her and she felt like she was going to snap. Before the whispers could bore further into her brain, they stopped and a dark figure appeared in front of her. 'Deal' it whispered coldly, then vanished before her eyes.

Gail glanced around the area and Malcolm had also disappeared, leaving her alone with Rosemary. She shot her past self an apologetic look, then felt herself coming up for air and opened her eyes to reveal the overly bright hospital room she had been occupying for several weeks.

'All done Love, our home is waitin' patiently to be occupied by us' Lucas smiled reassuringly, as he sat down on her bed and kissed her forehead tenderly.

Gail stared up at him suspiciously for a moment, unsure whether this whole thing had been a sick game to convince her into aligning herself with him fully, then forced herself to relax and let out a relieved sigh when she sensed the immediate danger was gone.

No matter what she had to sacrifice, at least her family could be together again in their home as they were meant to be.

-The end-


End file.
